Quinoa and black bean tacos

I found this recipe for quinoa and black bean salad on my favorite food blog, Mel's kitchen cafe, but once I had it made it just wasn't very good as a salad like side dish. So I put it in a tortilla with tomatoes, avocados, sour cream and cheese. AmAzInG!!! The salad is slightly spicy and the avocados are so smooth and creamy, the flavors just blend perfectly. Mellie LOVED it and gobbled up three giant tacos. It was such a healthy meal I had no issue letting her have seconds and thirds. I'm so glad she likes quinoa since she's not a big meat eater. The first few times I made it no one really liked it then I came across some tips for making it taste better. You need to soak it for 15min-1 hour and then rinse it really well before cooking. Then instead of using the 2:1 water to quinoa ratio usually suggested drop it down to about 1.5:1 and cook it on a lower heat for about 20-25 minutes. It produces such a light and fluffy texture. SO good!!

Black Bean and Sweet Corn Quinoa Salad

INGREDIENTS:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 cup uncooked quinoa
1  cups chicken or vegetable broth
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 cup frozen/canned sweet white corn
2 (15-ounce) cans black beans, drained and rinsed

DIRECTIONS:
In a medium pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. When shimmering and hot, add the onions and saute for 4-5 minutes, stirring often. Add the garlic and stir for a minute or two until the garlic is fragrant, being careful not to burn the garlic.

Add the quinoa  and sauté for a minute or two. Cover with broth, stir in cumin, cayenne pepper, salt and pepper. Bring the mixture to a boil. Cover, reduce heat and let simmer for 20-25 minutes (or until all the liquid is absorbed).

Stir in the frozen corn and black beans. Cover and let the pot sit off the heat until the corn and beans are heated through, about 5-6 minutes.